


The Light From Within

by dramaticinsanity



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Creative License, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Trapped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 03:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20167036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramaticinsanity/pseuds/dramaticinsanity
Summary: After an unlikely run-in with a past foe, Mao Mao and King Snugglemagne were cornered in a cave by monsters and left with few options.





	The Light From Within

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I spelled the name of KS wrong. I could've sworn it didn't originally have the (silent?) g on the wiki page. End me. At least it's just one letter, but it has been fixed for Search purposes. Uh... hopefully no one prefers the other spelling.

Mao Mao returns to the house. The door creaks open, and the eyes of Badgerclops and Adorabat switch from the screen to the doorway. They stare in shock at the sight of their companion. His cape is tattered, fur ruffled, body covered in cuts. 

Adorabat’s eyes water as she asks, “Mao Mao what happened?!”

She rushes to his side and hugs his leg. He doesn’t move, staring straight ahead with a shadow over his eyes. Badgerclops slowly approaches and pokes him in the forehead.

“Also, why are you wearing the king’s crown dude?”

Mao Mao, who was slumped in the doorway, suddenly stiffens. He pats at the crown with his paw, as though he only just remembered it’s there.

“Oh.” He examines their shocked expressions. “I suppose you might be wondering how I got here…”

“Uh, well -”

“I was surrounded! Monsters bearing down! And then…”

_It was the truth._

Mao Mao had gotten separated from Badgerclops and Adorabat. He couldn’t see them. He wasn’t worried at the time. He was focused on heroically fighting the monsters and protecting the citizens. He had never seen a swarm this large! Usually monsters were loners. He couldn’t imagine what had spurred this cooperative effort.

The monsters circled him and closed in. He looked for an escape, none was immediately visible. He saw a bench, and recalled it was the location of a secret tunnel. The king didn’t need to know he had committed some of the locations to memory. Mao Mao made a dive for it, and he fell into the tunnel.

He ran headlong into another body. They both collapsed, and Mao Mao’s vision went dark after a moment. He dreamed of a monster breaking into the tunnel and devouring him. He awoke with a gasp. He rubbed his head.

There was a rustling sound. Mao Mao stood and brandished his sword. “Who goes there? Show yourself, coward!”

Laughter echoed through the tunnel. “It will be mine!”

“Huh? Wait… Rufus?”

“In the flesh, little kitty cat,” Rufus said. 

Mao Mao snarled, “How did you get out of jail?!”

He lunged. 

“Stop at once, Sheriff! We… we’d best do as he says…”

Mao Mao skidded in the dirt and came to a halt. “King Snugglemagne? What’s going -”

A light filled the tunnel. Rufus was holding a lighter with a sinister smile on his face. Mao Mao took a step back. He did not expect a petty idiot thief to appear so menacing.

“Oh yes… I see the fear in your eyes…”

“I fear nothing,” Mao Mao protested, though he knew it wasn’t entirely true. 

“Prison has changed me…”

He raised his other paw, upon which hung the crown of the king. Mao Mao raised a brow. He tried to think. He could not understand what Rufus wanted. Was the crown of so much value? Was he going to sell it?

“I can see your gears turning… you know nothing! You have been kept in the dark, everyone has,” Rufus spat. “Now, the power of the ruby pure heart is _mine_!”

At first, Mao Mao chuckled. It seemed funny. Rufus glares at him,

“What is so funny, you reject?”

Mao Mao cleared his throat. “The ruby pure heart does have inherent magic, but it just protects the town with its magic -”

“Wrong! You cannot grasp the depths of -”

“Seriously? You want to steal this trinket!”

Mao Mao easily kicked it out of Rufus’ slack paw and held it between his own. Rufus made an offended noise and grabbed for it. Mao Mao stopped him by pressing a paw to his head. He yawned with boredom.

“I see prison has not made you more competent.” 

Rufus paused his ministrations. “You should be careful with that. It is more than it appears. Long has the royal line been trusted to its precious command of magic.”

Mao Mao shook his head. “You’re insane…”

“I’m afraid it’s true Mao - Sheriff. I don’t quite know how it works… only that it keeps the pure heart stable. If it gets corrupted, all as we know it will end, or perhaps get a new, darker beginning,” King Snugglemagne chimes in.

“You must be joking. It’s damaged, not even working!”

“I do not jest!” King Snugglemagne’s expression is grim and serious. Mao Mao would clench his paws in frustration if they both were not occupied. He couldn’t argue.

Rufus said, “This crown has the power to reactivate it, albeit… _impure_. That and more! Only I have discovered these secrets from a prison mate!”

“Who?!”

Rufus shrugged and smirked. “Doesn’t matter, they’re _dead_ now.”

“I -”

The tunnel rumbled and shook. Rufus’ eyes widened. 

He whispered, “No… they come for _you_now…”

He fled the scene. Part of the tunnel came crashing down, and monster claws scored the Earth beneath. King Snugglemagne shrieked and grabbed for Mao Mao. He led the king by the arm as they fled the oncoming monsters. They went deeper into the tunnel. Without Rufus, they had no light, left to fumble in the pitch black. 

They found a cavern with a pool of water. Mao Mao discovered it when he stepped in it, not pleasant. However, they both gratefully drank. Mao Mao sat and attempted to soothe some of his injuries. He could feel King Snugglemagne watching him, but he couldn’t guess what expression he was wearing.

“Oh dear… what are we going to do,” Snugglemagne practically whimpered.

“Something… always figure out something… or…” Mao Mao paced as much as he could without risking falling into a hidden pit of snakes or whatever. He didn’t have ideas, but he had to give the king hope.

Mao Mao was limping, and his arm was sore. He must’ve gotten hit with debris in the scramble. He tried to ignore the pain. He also fought shivers. The damp cold was starting to seep in past the fading adrenaline. 

The crown was heavy in his paw. He placed it on his head for the moment. He wasn’t sure whether to believe Rufus, but if the fiend came back it was safer with him than the king. Speaking of, he heard King Snugglemagne’s teeth chattering. He sighed. He _wouldn’t do it._ He wouldn’t pity the royal and put himself in an awkward situation.

“I think I might freeze to death down here,” the king moaned. “What a way to go. Shame upon me. Shame for my ancestors.”

Mao Mao growled and scraped his gloved claws over his face. He marched over. He grasped at the air until he found the king’s cloak, and he gave it a tug.

“Yes?”

“It would be… we should… body heat,” Mao Mao explained, with unquestionable eloquence should anyone ask.

“Ah, right you are, Sheriff.”

Mao Mao blushed as the king scooped him up. He was thankful the darkness hid his expression. To have such soft feelings was humiliating. He didn’t have time or energy for romance. Besides, he was a king, what would he see in Mao Mao? Even if he wasn’t a king, he didn’t have a chance. 

King Snugglemagne slid along the wall until he found a dry place to sit down. Mao Mao had to reside on his lap. The king wrapped his cloak around them both. 

“You’re injured, I could tell by your footsteps,” King Snugglemagne remarked. “Are you quite alright? It would be dreadful if you bled out…”

“I didn’t know you cared,” Mao Mao snapped out of habit. He continued, “Thanks, but I’m good. Are you hurt? Did Rufus do anything?”

“No… he mostly gloated which hurt my feelings.”

Before he could engage his filter, Mao Mao blurted, “I’d pummel him for that alone, if I didn’t already hate his guts.”

“Oh… you _do_ have a big heart underneath hmm?”

Mao Mao blushed again, face growing even hotter this time. He thanked his lucky stars that again it wasn’t visible. His relief was short-lived. 

His thoughts turned. Eventually, the end would come, from cold or monsters, possibly Rufus, then starvation if they survived all of that. His friends didn’t know his location, lost in the tunnels. If they found him, it would be pure luck. 

He had no solace for himself or for his current companion. 

Would his friends ever find his remains? Would they give up after a short time? Would they even miss him? All the times he treated them poorly rolls around in his mind. He never got to tell them how much he loves them. It didn't seem important, to be so sentimental. He knows that even though he regretted it when the threat of his demise hung over his head, he would still keep it all bottled up if he made it through.

What would happen to the valley? Badgerclops and Adorabat - mostly Badgerclops - would be on their own defending it. He knew they were capable enough as a group, but the thought of leaving them… he _had_ to find a way out of the situation. 

Without warning, the cave lit up, light emanating from the crown. He glanced up to notice King Snugglemagne had immediately gazed down at him.

“You saw nothing.”

“I saw nothing, my word is my bond,” King Snugglemagne replied.

They both peered out to seek an entrance. The sight that greeted them was unwelcome. There were around a dozen monsters, drooling, snarling and snapping. Mao Mao sunk into a battle ready stance, prepared to make his last stand.

King Snugglemagne slowly stood and gave Mao Mao a slight shove forward. He whispered, “You run and get your friends, tell them of Rufus. I will distract the monsters.”

Mao Mao slightly teared up. “But you - you can’t fight - you will -”

He couldn’t finish the vile thought. 

“Why Mao Mao, I didn’t know you cared about ol’ me,” King Snugglemagne murmured. “Run along now, your destiny still awaits, and the valley needs its Sheriff. If this cave is to be _mine_… so be it.”

Mao Mao lowered his head. “I will return for you.”

He tossed the king his spare dagger. He darted towards the exit as the king waved the weapon and made loud noises to draw their attention. Mao Mao forced himself to not look behind. He firmly wiped his tears away and used the crown’s mysterious light to find his way to the surface. He could cry when it was finished.

Mao Mao doesn’t have dry eyes when he’s through with the story, but neither of his friends comments on that. Badgerclops and Adorabat are sobbing, unrestrained. Mao Mao takes a deep breath and straightens his spine.

“Rufus is still out there. Regardless of whether or not he can activate some hidden power of the Ruby Pure Heart, he is a menace that must be stopped.”

The other two recover from the emotional outburst, sniffling. 

“I’m so happy you’re safe, Mao Mao,” Adorabat manages. “I don’t know what I’d do… I guess I would be sad forever…”

“Yeah, dude, you’re not allowed to get separated from us ever again! I felt helpless, not knowing what happened to you or what to do next.”

“I - thank you. For always… just, I appreciate you, more than I can put into words…”

“We know Mao Mao,” his friends reply together, ending his struggle with _feelings_.

Mao Mao leads them through town, and the companions are mostly quiet. In the end, it only takes using the crown as bait to ensnare the fox. Mao Mao hopes they can keep him incarcerated for the duration of his sentence this time. With his other duties, he can’t personally keep a constant eye on every criminal after they’ve been detained. 

As he’s watching Rufus get carted back off to jail, yelling and kicking, he feels a presence behind him. He unsheathed his sword and twirls on the potential foe. He gasps at the sight of King Snugglemagne. He’s a bit worse for wear, bruised with a mane sorely in need of brushing, but rarely had a sight been more radiant. He is soon scooped up again by the king and receives a gentle hug. Mao Mao remains slumped on his arm, not one for physical affection, but he doesn’t fight the embrace either. Badgerclops and Adorabat share a surprised glance.

“It’s great to see you made it out, King Snugglemagne,” Adorbat says.

Badgerclops comments, “I thought he was monster chow for sure…”

“Badgerclops!” Adorabat pouts at his horrific provocation of imagery.

“I’m just joking, sheesh…”

Mao Mao questions, “How are you alive?! Where are the monsters?”

“Oh, please,” King Snugglemagne scoffs, “I know those tunnels like the back of my paws. Once your - the crown’s brilliance was gone, it wasn’t difficult to slip past them. However, without the light you would’ve never found your way… and the valley needed you more than it needed me.”

“As for the monsters,” King Snugglemagne adds, “I activated a failsafe which collapsed that particular tunnel, and it appears to have taken care of most of the threat.”

_He won’t cry, he won’t cry, he won’t cry._ Mao Mao responds, “Of course. Reasonable choice to make. Good thinking!”

“Why… thank you.” King Snugglemagne smiles. 

Mao Mao raps his knuckles on the crown. “Any idea what activated this thing?”

King Snugglemagne answers, “Love. A pure heart is filled with love for what they have, not for what they can get.”

Mao Mao nods, recalling that he was thinking of his friends and what would happen to the citizens of Pure Heart Valley. He tugs it from his head and offers it to the rightful owner. King Snugglemagne takes it with some reluctance and sets it home within the top of his fluffy hair. Mao Mao still has questions, but he has hope King Snugglemagne and his friends can help him discover the mysteries of the valley.

Badgerclops and Adorabat fall in, turning it into a group hug. Mao Mao is content to soak in their combined affection, just this once.


End file.
